Chelsea miss chance to go top with Everton stalemate

Chelsea missed the chance to go top of the Premier League as they were held to a 0-0 draw by Everton at Goodison Park.

The windy conditions played their part in a scrappy affair, which saw The Blues fail to score in the league for the first time in 16 matches.

Chelsea’s best chances of the game fell to Nicolas Jackson in the opening period, with the forward being denied at close-range by Jordan Pickford before seeing his header from a corner glance the upright.

Everton failed to create anything of note in the first half but went close in the second as Robert Sanchez produced a superb stop to deny Jack Harrison from inside the box before Tosin Adarabioyo’s heroic block kept out Iliman Ndiaye from a matter of yards.

The result sees Chelsea miss the chance to leapfrog Liverpool into first ahead of The Reds’ trip to the Tottenham Hotspur Stadium, and Enzo Maresca’s men instead remain behind the leaders, having played twice more.

As for Sean Dyche’s side, they move up 15th ahead of Crystal Palace on goal difference and with a game in hand on The Eagles. They are now four points clear of the relegation zone.

It marks another positive result for Everton after their goalless draw at Arsenal last week while things are looking up off the pitch too after the Friedkin Group’s completed takeover of the club this week.

Dyche’s side will be hoping to continue this impressive run against the league’s elite as they travel to Manchester City on Boxing Day.

Maresca’s side, who missed the chance to extend their winning run in the league to six, return to Stamford Bridge to host west London rivals Fulham.

Chelsea came into this clash as top scorers in the Premier League and with the most away goals in the division but it was a largely frustrating afternoon for their attack.

Jackson was kept quiet following his couple of chances in the opening period, while Cole Palmer failed to demonstrate his usual quality in the final third.

The result will not be overly concerning for Maresca but he will take not of his side failing to tackle a low block, a habit which became familiar last season under Mauricio Pochettino.

Meanwhile, after looking defensively vulnerable in the opening stages of the campaign, Everton have now kept clean sheets in their last three leagues ties and in five of their last six.

Despite Everton scoring just once in their last six, Dyche has made them an incredibly tough side to face and they look well drilled to avoid relegation, with only five sides in the division conceding fewer this season.

In a match lacking quality, Ndiaye was one of the few players to showcase some composure and cutting edge in the final third.

The summer signing caused problems throughout for Axel Disasi down Everton’s left and it was his cross that picked out Harrison for his golden chance before being denied by the heroics of Tosin.

Everton: Pickford 7; Young 7, Tarkowski 7, Branthwaite 6, Mykolenko 7; Doucoure 7, Gueye 7 Mangala 6; Harrison 6, Calvert-Lewin 6, Ndiaye 8*.

Subs: Beto 5, Coleman 6, Lindstrom 6.

Chelsea: Sanchez 7; Disasi 5, Tosin 7, Colwill 6, Gusto 6; Caicedo 7, Fernandez 6; Neto 6, Palmer 6, Sancho 6; Jackson 5.

Subs: Madueke 5, Nkunku 5.

26′ – BIG CHANCE FOR JACKSON: Neto drives towards the area before feeding Palmer into the right of the box. The Englishman picks out Jackson on the edge of the six-yard box but he is denied at close range by Pickford.

32′ – JACKSON GOES CLOSE AGAIN: Disasi gets a small flick on an inswinging corner from the left which sees the ball run through to Jackson at the back post but the striker’s header hits the upright.

50′ – GREAT SAVE BY SANCHEZ: Ndiaye picks it up on the left and delivers an inswinging cross that reaches Harrison at the back post. He has the space to take a touch but as he looks to tuck home with his left foot, Sanchez comes out and spreads himself superbly to deny the Everton man.

78′ – GREAT BLOCK BY TOSIN: Everton win the ball in midfield and can feed Lindstrom into the right of the box. His ball across the face of goal drops to Ndiaye a matter of yards out but Tosin puts his body on the line to make a crucial block.